It started with an idea. If you were to call in sick this summer, where in Central Florida would you go? We asked for your input, you voted on your favorite, and that’s where we went: Mount Dora.

Together with Bess Auer from Orlando Travel & Event site, Central Florida Top 5, we planned to spend the day in Mount Dora, to check  out how to make the best of your sick day. And while Bess called me that morning to say she had some surprise personal business to attend to, Brian and I continued on our adventure. We’ll connect with Bess again in the future.

So what can you do in Mount Dora if you call in sick from work?

If it’s your first time to Mount Dora (like it was for me), start your day by checking out the Old Train Station. It’s now the Chamber of Commerce which has friendly folks who can help plan your day.

Old Train Station

Ben Planning His Day

Before you leave, be sure to see the old train schedule machine. In yesterday you would select your city by spinning the dial and finding your route. It’s an original.

Spin the wheel to find your route.

There’s also the old switch that would alert the train that there were passengers to pick up.

Pull the levers to alert the trains

With our day planned, we walked to the lighthouse and relaxed on a nearby bench. Catching a breeze, and taking a break from the hectic pace of live. The lighthouse is the only inland, freshwater lighthouse in Florida.

The Mount Dora Lighthouse

Brian relaxing on a bench

Next up, a stroll down Donnelly Street. This is the main shopping street in town. Antique shops, cafes and other specialty stores could keep you busy browsing and window shopping all afternoon. Piglets Pantry caught my eye and thus I officially started my 2010 Christmas Shopping!

Donnelly Street

For every taste, Mount Dora offers plenty of restaurants. With menus posted outside, I could have indulged all day in ice cream, fudge, wine and real food too! Each restaurant has it’s own unique charm. Multiple return trips to try out these new dining options are definitely in the future.

But on today’s trip, we selected Mt. Dora Sushi. Active on twitter (@MtDoraSushi), and having supported our call in sick initiative, we thought we’d pay them a visit. This was especially an adventure for me since I’ve never had sushi before.

A very comprehensive sushi menu

Bento Box

Ben eating from the BENto Box: California Roll

Prices were right, food was great, portions were excellent; it was a great spot for lunch and a perfect way to end the day.

What’s your favorite restaurant, shop or attraction in Mount Dora?

Today’s Lesson: I’ve lived in Orlando for 5 years now and never made a trip to Mount Dora. Who would have thought that this small city would offer so much. You’ll never know until you make the trip out there yourself. Find a small town in your community and see what adventures you might uncover. With summer quickly coming to an end, take advantage of the beautiful weather and explore a new part of your world.

I’ll see you out there…! Unless I’m sick of course, but I may still see you out there anyway.

Don’t forget, more photos, videos and stories are available on my Facebook Fan Page.

The Essentials

For More Information: If you’d like to call in sick yourself (or just make a day trip on the weekend), check out What To Do In Mount Dora. They’ve got everything you need to plan your day. They’re also on twitter @MountDora.

Attraction Costs: You can make this day as cheap or as expensive as you want. Whatever your budget, you’ll find a way to enjoy the day. We kept things low, but trolley tours, boat tours and other activities are available.

How to get there: You can take OBT all the way up and continue on 441. You’ll see signs. It’s quite easy – but the directionally concerned  should Google it.

Suggested Time to Experience Fully: Depends on your schedule. We were there for about 4 hours. We could easily have made it 6 with the inclusion of more sightseeing or shopping.

Best Time to Visit: Mount Dora is a “festival town” according to the Chamber of Commerce. Special events are scheduled throughout the year. Summer is quiet and hot, while the Spring is their busy season.

Ben Recommends: Make the trip to Mount Dora and explore with your own interests in mind. If you want to shop, shop. It you want to eat, eat. If you want to…(you get the picture). It’s a charming old town that will remind you of days gone by. A break from the scenery and sameness that living in Orlando can sometimes bring.

adventureswithben.com is supported by The City Scramble. If you'd like to race, click on the image to register.

Today’s post is a quick trip planning update and travel tip. After accumulating 280,000 Delta Airlines Frequent Flyer Miles, I’ve cashed them all in for 2 round-trip tickets from Orlando to Sydney in just over 200 days! Now that the dates have been selected comes the monumental task of planning the itinerary.

Sure there are lots of online trip planning websites, but sometimes a book is the preferred medium. Books tend to be more comprehensive, can be written on, are compact and can be taken anywhere. My #1 brand is Lonely Planet, followed by Frommer’s.  The downside to travel books – they can be quite expensive – for a book.

Enter your public library.

Back in high school and college the library was a common place to study and retrieve information. But with the growth of the internet and the disappearance of 20-page term papers, people’s needs to visit the library dwindle. Each time I tell people I get books at the library they look at me like I have 10 heads.

Why I Love the Library

The Orange County Library is magic. Here’s why I love going there.

1. They mail books to my house. – Yes I can be lazy and don’t even have to make a trip to the brick and mortar building. I just have to put pants on and open my front door – and sometimes I don’t even do that!
2. I can preview books before I purchase them. - Try before you buy. Why buy a $30 city guide when I can check it out, review it and decide them if I want to purchase the real thing.
3. Great Selection - Even if some of the books are out of date, I can get a good sense for what attractions and itineraries are out there. But surprisingly, the Orange County Public Library System has current titles.
4. It’s Free! - Yes, that’s the purpose of the library, to have free books. But when you consider that most people pay for what you’re getting for nothing, you can’t stop but wonder why people pay for you got for nothing. Make sense? It’s one of the many ways I save money in order to travel.

So…do you have a Library Card? When was the last time you used it?

Today’s Lesson: Your local public library is an excellent source of free travel information! Get yourself a library card and start planning your next adventure!

I’ll see you out there…! In section 910.

adventureswithben.com is supported by The City Scramble. If you'd like to race, click on the image to register.

Quick, leave work early. Feelgoodz Flip Flops are arriving in Orlando today!

What are Feelgoodz?

Feelgoodz are Flip Flops.

But not just any flip flops; they come from Thailand and are the most comfortable flip flops ever, seriously! I wore them all around Pattaya when I packed them for my trip to Thailand during the Ultimate Thailand Explorers Competition.

My buddy Kyle is the CEO of Feelgoodz and for the last several years has been puttin’ his heart and soul to make them a success. It’s been an incredible adventure as he’ll be quick to tell you. What started out in his parent’s shed in his backyard has exploded into a national sales initiative. You may remember I wrote about them before when I had a chance to Visit the Feelgoodz Flop Cave in New Orleans.

The best part is, he’s taking his flops on a tour around the SouthEast and will be in Orlando today and tomorrow! [we're letter "J" on the map]

Where can I find them in Orlando?

Feelgoodz will be at Whole Foods on the following dates/ times:

Orlando (Sand Lake Road), Monday, July 19th at 4 P.M.

Winter Park, Tuesday, July 20th at 10 A.M.

Why should I buy them?

Aside from the fact that they truly are more comfortable than any other flip flop I’ve worn (and I’m not being paid to say this), these are also socially responsible flip flops.

Natural:
Natural rubber, recycled paper hang tags, cardboard hangers

Comfortable:
Pillow-soft, the most comfortable on the market

Ethical:
Biodegradable, recyclable, fair wages paid to Thai farmers

Conscious:
1st Louisiana B-Corp, 1% for the Planet member

So What Are You Waiting For?

Make a trip to Whole Foods, buy yourself a pair of Feelgoodz and say hi to Kyle. Leave a comment with what pair you bought!

I’ll see you out there…! Steppin’ Easy, Feelin’ Good

For More Information:

You can follow Kyle and Feelgoodz on Twitter @Feelgoodz

He’s also on Facebook

adventureswithben.com is supported by The City Scramble. If you'd like to race, click on the image to register.

It all started with an idea…Summer should be spent enjoying the outdoors, not being stuck at work. So along with my fellow Orlando Blogger Bess from Central Florida Top 5, we’ve decided to call in sick and explore the best destination in Central Florida to take a sick day – but we need your help.

Based on your suggestions from our original post, we’ve selected our favorite five. We need YOU to VOTE on where we should go when we call in sick on Friday, July 23rd. Voting will take place from now until July 17th.

The Destinations

Here’s the links to each of the five destinations we’ve selected:

• Bok Tower Gardens
• Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
• Daytona Musuem of Arts & Sciences
• Loughman Lake Lodge Airboat Ride
• An afternoon of shopping, dining and exploring in Mt. Dora

Vote

Individuals may vote only once, but feel free to comment with your best persuasive argument to entice others to vote for your favorite!

Follow

We’ll be tweeting and blogging all day on the 23rd, and the following week (July 25th, with all the details of our adventure). And hey, if you want to call in sick too on Friday and have your own adventure that would be fantastic!

We’ll see you out there…! Wherever it is that you send us.

*****

If you’d like to connect with Ben and Bess, follow them below:

adventureswithben.com - Homepage | Twitter | Facebook

Central Florida Top 5 - Homepage | Twitter | Facebook

It’s tough to imagine that it’s been one full year of blogging about travel. Time flies when you’re having fun. And what a fun year it was. It all began with The Stories of my Shoes; a metaphor for capturing and recanting stories. Now, 252 posts later, the stories keep on growing.

My Favorite Adventures

Since June of 2009, the travel destination roster included: Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO,  Eugene, OR, Park City, UT, Omaha, NE, Johannesburg, South Africa (twice), Pattaya, Thailand, New Orleans, LA, Canada (St. John’s, Halifax, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto), Livingstone, Zambia and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Of course there were excursions all throughout Orlando, FL. So what were some of my favorite moments?

• Chilling out while listening to Jazz at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Illinois
• Winning the Ultimate Thailand Explorers Competition to Pattaya, Thailand
• Spotting the 2010 FIFA World Cup Tropy in Polokwane, South Africa
• Smashing People with Pillows at International Pillow Fight Day in Orlando
• Getting drenched by Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia

Top Adventures by Category

Here’s some adventures you may enjoy by category

• Most Sexy Post: Fun with Air New Zealand’s In-Flight Safety Video: It’s Naked!
• Biggest Bust Out: Spook Hill, Lake Wales Florida
• Worst Sickness: Lakeridge Winery Grape Stomp
• Most Dangerous Adventure: Walking with Lions
• Most Touching Post: The Importance of the 2010 World Cup to South Africa
• Most Helpful Travel Tip: Pack Clean Underwear
• Messiest Food: Cafe Du Monde
• Most Controversial Post: Why I Support the Vuvuzela

Top 10 Posts by Page Views

Here are the top 10 posts according to page views at adventureswithben.com for 2009-2010.

1. How to play a vuvuzela
2. America’s Got Talent Auditions Orlando
3. Watching the Ellen Show Tape
4. St. Louis Union Station Whispering Arch
5. Watching Space Shuttle Discovery Launch from Jetty Park
6. Where Does Orange Juice Come From?
7. The Art of Sand Opens this weekend
8. Colorful Houses in the Bo-Kaap Quarter
9. Walking on the Willis Tower Skydeck Ledge
10. Calgary White Hat Award

What was your favorite adventure this year? Comment with your answer.

By the Numbers

• 14,603 Page Views
• 7,035 YouTube Video Views
• 517 Twitter Followers
• 265 Comments & Replies
• 252 Published Posts
• 111 YouTube Videos
• 71 Facebook Fans
• 3 Countries visited in 2009 – 2010

Thank You to My Sponsors

All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the help from my sponsors that have supported adventureswithben.com.

• Good Tugo – and you can read my post about the tugo cup holder
• The City Scramble – here’s my first post about The City Scramble
• 12 Apostles Hotel, Cape Town
• Chanters Lodge, Livingstone – here’s my interview with Richard Chanter of Chanters Lodge

What’s Next?

So what’s next on the horizon? Well, I’ve been busy promoting my latest adventure, “Where Would You Go in Central Florida if You Called in Sick From Work?” There’s also a lot to do for my Australia 2011 trip. Flights need to be booked, accommodations arranged and most importantly of all, adventures need to be planned!

Thank You to You

Most importantly of all, thank you to each and every one of you for reading, commenting and following my adventures. In a small way, I hope I’ve inspired you to get off the couch, grab your passport, get it stamped and have an adventure. More adventures in 2010-2011 are just around the corner. Become a fan on Facebook to keep in touch!

I’ll see you out there…!